Cryptic Crimson
by LilAliLouYa
Summary: There are two things that are sought out in life - love is simple, its unconditional and selfless, the other is security it is needed it is required. Security is the only thing that can threaten love, yet can love liberate security?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** Here goes! I don't own them; don't make any money from writing this story or from its characters! Besides if you sue me all you get is some damaged textbooks and a soggy cat!

Updates on this particular story are going to be slower, I know you have become accustomed to seeing my stories have chapter updates daily – however I found this story when I was cleaning out my laptop, and there are still some holes in the plot.

I hope you enjoy this and if you do read it – please review it – I am really getting a craving for them! Take Care!

**Summary:** Love is simple, its unconditional and selfless. Security is needed, required and forever sort after. Security is the only thing that can threaten love, yet love can liberate security.

**~ CRYPTIC CRIMSON ~**

CHAPTER ONE

The bell rang and the halls filled with students as they rushed to get out of the school and get home, one student didn't seem in that much of a hurry as he slowly packed his bag knowing it was only seconds until:

"Jounouchi a word please!"

Yep there it was, the phrase that followed him at the end of every class, for some reason ~ he didn't know why ~ some classes just sent him off into a land of daydreams and snoozes. Today was a hot day outside, and his mind had been thinking about laying outside on the grass in the shade of the tree, with a particular boy when slam, he'd been bought out of that dream rather sharply as he slipped from his chair ~ and the laughter in the class.

"What's the matter Puppy? Did your bad dream frighten you?" Sneered a certain brunette three seats back, Jou scowled at him

"O'get over ya'self …"

'Once you get over me' thought Seto, and he chuckled to himself, he might share that one with the blonde boy in front of him later.

"Jounouchi, is my lesson really that boring that ~you ~ have to fall asleep?"

"Sorry Sensei!" Jou had replied, and settled himself back in his chair, the lesson had continued, at an agonisingly slow pace, until that heaven ~ that final bell had rung.

Jou had dawdled behind, he knew it was only a matter of moments before the teacher would bring him up on his lack of attention in class, and now the moment had come, Jou headed up to the front of the class and took a seat in the front row.

"Jounouchi, I really do expect better of you ~ I KNOW ~ you can do better!"

"Sir, look I am really sorry!"

"This is the fourth time this month you have fallen asleep in my class Katsuya, I can't continue to let it go unnoticed," he paused for a moment and looked out of the window, what he could do to make this boy reach his full potential.

"I expect an essay detailing the events that were discussed today on my desk at 9am Monday morning and no excuses; if not I will have to inform the Head teacher, and it will be his decision about what happens then!"

"Yes Sir!" replied Jou,

"You do remember what this class is about?" the teacher smiled at him

"Sure Sir, I will have an essay on the representations of rural crime by Monday."

"Make sure there is, you can go now!"

He had barely finished this sentence, as the back of Jou's head disappeared out of the door, he hurried to his locker, he rounded the corner as Kaiba came down the hall, he himself had just been to see the Head teacher about missing a few classes on Monday, in order to attend a business meeting. He watched as the boy crossed the hallway and then ~SLAM~ as he kicked his locker, he continued to look on in amusement as the boy then hopped on his foot having just kicked his locker.

No matter how much he teased the boy, he couldn't deny what was between then, he walked up behind Jou, who was muttering the combination to his locker, he slowly slid his arms around the boy's waist.

"Ah … Seto …" Jou lent back on to the other boy, as he lent in and kissed the side of Jou's head

"What did the teacher say?"

"Try not to fall asleep in his class …"

"And?"

"I have to write a stupid essay on the class now for Monday on the representations of rural crime!"

"I'll help you if you want, you can do it in the office while I work if you want?"

"Ah … Seto … thanks!"

"You heading home first?"

"Ya! I gotta see what my old man is up to; I'll see you in an hour or so?"

"Hnn …" was the reply he got as Seto stepped away and walked down the corridor – that annoyed Jou slightly, that is as emotional as Seto got in public, why couldn't he just admit that it didn't matter is he was straight, gay, or just plain crazy - why did they have to keep it hidden ~ not that keeping it hidden didn't have it's advantages.

Jou closed his locker and headed out of the school lost in the thoughts of a previous occasion in the Janitor's cupboard earlier that week.

He reached his house; the door was open, yes! His father was home and there he was slouched in the easy chair, an empty bottle on the floor to the side of him, the remote flicking the television idly.

"Hey Pa," the boy said as he came in the house

"Where you been?"

"Had to see a teacher after school!"

"Ya fell asleep in class 'gain didn't ya?"

Jou nodded, as he walked in front of his father and off towards his bedroom, everything was kept meticulously neat, nothing was ever out of place, and everything had its own place.

"Da' can I go out tonight?"

There was no response, either the alcohol had taken over and his father had drifted off to sleep or he had gone back out. Coming out of the bedroom Jou saw that it was the latter and so he wrote a note quickly and changed out of his uniform, and packed up the things he would need to write the essay. He left the note on top of the remote, and stepped back out of the house.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** Here goes! I don't own them; don't make any money from writing this story or from its characters. Besides if you were to sue me all you'd get is some damaged textbooks and a soggy cat!!!

G'ah! I didn't notice a month disappear … I know I said that it would be slower, but I didn't mean this slow! But you will be glad to know that I haven't only done this chapter and now have most of the story near completion … just over hauling it for the usual spelling mistakes and holes! Catch you all soon … and review it … ***begs*** please!

**CHAPTER TWO**

Down the street, Jou's father stepped into the bar, steadied himself on the door frame, and then walked to the bar, he ordered a couple of whisky's and then went and sat at a table. He vaguely looked at the room; the card players were not down yet – maybe another half hour – o'well time to drink.

Within an hour four drunken men sat round the table, bantering and slurring away, playing some random card game. The talk turned more serious as the game went on, the older man was starting to sober up – it would soon be time to head back to the apartment and finish his drinking in private.

Suddenly an uproar – two of the guys were accusing each other of cheating, the elder Katsuya stood between them ~ there was no way violence was going to get in the way of the drinking and the card game. But as he got involved the other two decided to unite and blame him, after all he was the one winning albeit by a small margin.

"Ya cheatin' bastard!"

"Whatcha on 'bout!"

He was pushed up against the wall, and without thinking the words came out,

"Get yer 'ands off me, or me son he'll take ya out … ya know what I mean you should see what the cops are givin' 'im the credit fer!"

The men looked at him, the older Katsuya to drunk to make up a story like that surely! The bar tender got between them, and that was it ~ he headed out the door and stumbled his way back to the apartment. The whole time, his mind worked on the words that had stumbled from his mouth ~ surely nothing would come of it! He went into the apartment, and collapsed onto the sofa.

_Well_ nothing may have come of his words, had the two men sitting in the corner booth not heard the word that had been said. The two sat in the shadows, until the scene had cleared, drained their drinks and also headed out of the pub. They headed into an apartment they had rented a few blocks away, once inside the discussion deepened, how could they use what Katsuya had said to their advantage.

Altogether there had been three crimes, each burglaries, each between the hours of 20:00-20:30, all on rich (ish) houses, all spread over town. It would take some planning, but maybe they would be able to get away with this ~ all it would take was some planning ~ all they had to do was find out enough information about the boy that they were going to frame.

There was very little information out there about Katsuya junior; he had once been associated with the gang life, but for the last three years had never turned back. He attended the local high school, his record fairly good, although sleepy at times, his father a known drunk, they continued to pull information off the computer, until they were happy enough that they knew the boy, the final piece of information was the most recent picture they could find was printed off.

"Now, I think we have found out everything we can - but I still want to see him, this must pan out - there can be no doubt in the cop's mind that this boy did it," said one of the conspirators, his dark eyes glinting as the evil inside him began to surface.

"Ya! I see whatcha mean, but don't let him catch on, we need ta get somethin of his to place, there must be something that ties him to the scene." This man beheld his _partner_ in crime ~ the glint that was the plan coming to form captured him for a few moments.

If only they could break out of this habit ~ if they could get away scotch free then maybe he would find a chance at being happy with this man that stood before him ~ just maybe ~ he chuckled to himself, as they head out of the apartment, making sure they were not seen by anyone.

The two men climbed the four flights of stairs, to the apartment that the Katsuya's lived in, according to the school records, after looking through the windows, and seeing the older man passed out on the sofa, one tested the door, and slowly entered the apartment, he moved carefully around the old man, and further into the house.

He had clearly found the younger boys room, everything neat and tidy, he would not be able to move anything, not without causing alarm. He looked over the table, a comb, he pulled some of the hair out of it, using the bags he had bought in with him, and the plastic gloves he picked it up. Next to the comb a pile of nail clippings ~ this was almost too easy ~ there was nothing else he could touch for the moment, and he slowly exited the scene.

At the bottom of the stairs the men sat in the apartment courtyard, at one of the old battered tables, and pulled out a deck of cards, they would now wait to see the other boy.

***** **_**Meanwhile **_*******

Jounouchi entered into the KaibaCorp lobby, he looked up knowing that _Security were always watching_, nothing happened in that building that they nor Seto Kaiba did not know about. There were camera's everywhere and they were not always visible, and he was sure Seto changed them around on occasions. Although he knew his office was clean, the last camera was the one that showed the CEO's doorway. Jou got in the elevator and rode up to the top floor, and stepped out, to face the biggest bitch he had ever met … Erika Matroski, Kaiba's receptionist ~ she was working today, that made a change, as she heard the elevator ping, she had looked up, to see the blonde come through. She had learnt a long time ago, that this boy and her bosses brother were the only ones allowed in his Office without having to announce them, but today having suffered being shouted at by Kaiba, as he had come out of a meeting she felt the need to bait the blonde.

"Mr Kaiba is in a meeting, you are to wait outside until he is finished," she said with her nose stuck in the air,

"Yeah! You said that last week – pull da other one!"

Jou walked straight past her, and knocked the door slightly, a gruff "ENTER" came from inside the office, Jou pushed the door aside, and strangely enough there was no meeting. He stuck his head round the door, the CEO looked him over, and a smile touched his mouth, there was no way that his cute little puppy and those eyes could not make him smile. He regretted pulling away from those golden eyes to continue pounding out the remainder of the email. Jou turned to shut the door, and as he did so, stuck his tongue out at the receptionist. She rolled her eye, but knew whatever she did in return would be caught on the camera above the youths head.

Jou walked over to the meeting table, he placed his book bag down, and walked over to his lover, he placed his arms over his shoulders, and offered a long hug, to Seto.

"Hnn -Jou - Pup, as much as I love you, I need to get this done!"

"Ok, Seto …" he said and despite the request, leaned in and he gently turned the CEO's gaze from the computer, and pressed his lips to his. The kiss ~definitely~ not a light peck, got the intended response, a deep kiss in return, for a few moments he melted into Seto.

"Pup … naughty …" Seto said, as he pulled out of it – HOW was he meant to concentrate when his puppy was misbehaving? How was he meant to concentrate full stop, when he could see the practically perfect outline of his Pup, standing just beyond his reach pouting, his lip slightly quivering ~ dang ~ he did that look so well.

Jou continued to pout for a few moments longer, and when Seto didn't respond only then did he go back to the other table, and begin pulling out the necessary items required to write his essay.

After a while Seto had gotten up, and taken a couple of files – he handed them to his secretary as she walked though the door, to find Seto leaning over the work Jou had written.

"Type it up on the laptop, and I will print it for you when I get back,"

"Thanks Kaiba-sama, this means so much to me - a proper report from a business minded person -"

Bless him, Jou slipped back into character; the reason he was in the office was that he was doing a report on how to conduct business. The secretary left the office, and Seto winked at the boy, he got a cheeky grin in return, he'd been about to follow his secretary out of the office, when he stalked back to Jou, and taking in his arms, lent in for a long kiss, as Jou's tongue fought against his to taste him, he smiled slightly.

"Tomorrow Pup!" he said, knowing that if this continued the boys would not be able to stop, and he had planned to spend the day with the boy. With that he again walked to the door,

"We will go home after this, I'll drop you in the usual spot, maybe even have some food in the car!"

The other boy looked up at him and smiled as Seto shut the door behind him.

*****An hour or so later *****

Jou stepped out of the limo, two blocks from his apartment, Seto never dropped him off at his door, he didn't want to cause trouble for the boy ~ heck ~ he didn't want that kind of media coverage. Jou waved as Seto was driven off, and he headed up back up the road towards his apartment. There was a noise coming from the courtyard, as he entered, he saw six men playing cards round one of the tables ~ it was a warm night ~ at least his father wasn't there. The men had seen Jou as he crossed the courtyard, he was a nice size build, and definitely capable of pulling off the stuff that the men had done. They played till the end of the hand, before leaving the cards and the other four men playing, they headed back to their house. In less than an hour, they would take on their next job ~ their final job.

Upstairs in his apartment Jou placed a cover over his father and lifted his head slightly to place a pillow under it. Once again, his father had drunk himself into unconsciousness, to forget the pain ~ Jou couldn't really blame him ~ although sometimes he would like his father to see how much he really did need him. He flicked out the main light, and placed the lamp on the table on, he didn't want his old man waking him up later, as he stumbled from the sofa to the bedroom.

Jou headed to the shower, wiping away the unpleasant memories of the day, the shower was cold, he guessed the meter had run out, he would have to get some gas tomorrow, it could wait until tomorrow, at least they still had electric, and he had eaten with Seto that evening.

Jou slid into his bed, having placed his books and his essay on his desk, he had straightened everything and left it were it belonged ~ he didn't have many possessions and what he did have, he took care of, he couldn't afford to replace them right now. He drifted off into a light sleep, thinking of his love and what they might do tomorrow.


End file.
